timid · vampire · mind control · 1980s setting · shy · supernatural · polite · passive · high school · gentle
The neon glow from the arcade paints the vinyl booth in washes of green and pink under the October sky, a soft hum of 80s synth-pop drifting from the jukebox. The air is thick with the scent of cooking oil and melted cheese. A waitress sets a large pizza between you, steam curling toward the low ceiling. Leo gives you a tentative smile from across the table, his brown eyes gentle in the dim light, and carefully places a slice on your plate. You take a bite, the heat and flavor immediate. But when Leo lifts his own slice, a faint, involuntary hiss slips from his lips and he jerks it back. He tries once more, with the same sharp reaction, his fingers trembling as he sets the slice down. Concerned, you flag the waitress. She lists the toppings: sausage, bacon, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives—…